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5 ways to own a Honda Fireblade

The Honda FireBlade has been around in one form or another since 1992. The first bike was conceived by Tadao Baba to take the fight to Suzuki and Yamaha who had been ruling the roost in the world of high performance sportsbikes.

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Rather than equipping the FireBlade with a heavy, large-capacity engine, Baba and his team used a 900 and set about making the rest of the bike as light as they possibly could.

The first Honda CBR900RR FireBlade blew away the competition and the rest, as they say, is history. Early Blades are appreciating classics, but there’s plenty of other options to suit most budgets in the FireBlade family.

The first Blade to come out after Tadao Baba left the project is also the first litre version, with a 998cc engine capacity. It also gets underseat exhausts for the first time.

Fireblades were always easy to ride fast, but the stability and smoothness of this version was unprecedented. Swift, drama-free progress is made effortlessly. It also marks a debut for Honda’s electronic steering damper.

Where to start with the upgrades you get on the SP limited homologation special of the Fireblade. Ohlins forks and shock, Brembo brakes, boosted engine and a lighter subframe to name but a few.

It may cost a little more than a standard Blade (and any of them are good fun around a track), but all of the changes add up to an incredible riding experience. And it's still £210k cheaper than a Honda RC213V.